The Jungle Story
by Flower princess11
Summary: Arnold is now ten years old and wins a class trip to San Lorenzo where he plans to search for his long lost parents. They run into La Sombra who is interested in using Arnold to further his sinister plots. Will Arnold finally discover the truth of his parents disappearance? Also what will become with his relationship with Helga who insists on following him? DISCONTINUED.
1. Prologue: 9 years ago

**Disclamer:** I do not own Hey Arnold or any of the characters. Hey Arnold is the property of Nickelodeon and Craig Bartlett.

 **The jungle story**

 **Chapter 1:** **Prologue: 9 years ago**

The cold rain drops of the gloomy October morning reflected perfectly the inner turmoil within the old boarding house, as the elderly owners watched their son and daughter in law pack up for what they hoped to be the last mission into the jungles of San Lorenzo, in their arms was their only grandchild who looked on in confusion, not yet understanding what was going on.

It was exactly one week ago that their sons college friend and partner Eduardo came to them and gave them the bad news. That there was another outbreak of the sleeping sickness and that the mysterious green eye people needed their help again, since they were the only ones that they trusted and were capable of performing the task.

The young couple was very reluctant to leave, while they had loved their adventurous life in San Lorenzo, they had grown to love the quiet peace of Hillwood and had their only son Arnold to think about.

After much pleading from Eduardo and recalling the bond they had with the mysterious jungle tribe, they agreed to fly out for what would be the last time.

It was an awkward and melancholy conversation when the couple informed the elderly couple what had happened, but they understood that lives were on the line and that they were truly the only ones that could help the Green eyes now.

Me and my wife have always been proud of their only son Miles, and we were thrilled he managed to live his dream of traveling the world and helping people like he wanted to do since he was a child. Even after all these years, i couldn't believe this upstanding young man was once our rowdy little boy that filled our lives with so much love and laughter, or that he was now a father to the other wonderful small child who managed to do the exact same thing.

And now here was our flesh and blood, going off to travel once more and help more people with the woman he loved. We understood why they had to do this, but it didn't make them feel any less worried.

A beautiful young woman with auburn hair and light olive skin came down with her suitcase and gave a hug and kiss to the baby she had almost two years ago. Stella was like the daughter we never had and we were overjoyed that Miles found a girl like her to take care of him.

As worried as we were, we were confident that everything would work out for them, since it's always been like that.

It wasn't like they haven't done this before, they would go to San Lorenzo and make another cure for the sleeping sickness for the Green eye people and be back in a weeks' time, and since Stella successfully managed to do this before they were all confident that the couple would be back before they noticed.

Today, October 1st , 1987 that they would go on their final flight to San Lorenzo before retiring from that lifestyle all together. As the young parents said farewell to their baby son and their beloved parents/in laws, they entered the taxi, sad to leave but confident that it they would be back before they knew it.

One week passed and no sign of Miles and Stella, we prayed that it was only a small delay and that our son and his wife would be back soon, maybe it wasn't what we were fearing, maybe it was taking longer to find the ingredients for the cure and they needed a few more days, maybe the green eyes were still sick and the couple needed more time to perfect the cure and maybe and hopefully their flight was just delay and they would send a message soon.

However, days soon turned to weeks; we realized that there was no point denying our fears anymore. Our son and daughter figure were not coming back.

The entire boarding house became quiet and depressed.

It just couldn't be, my son, my baby boy was missing, lost in the perilous and deadly jungles of central America with only third world conditions nearby. Me and Pookie wanted so much for this to be a bad dream, but it was nothing but a living nightmare.

We called the police and a detective agency but they couldn't find anything useful.

As the time passed, the fear, sadness and anxiety turned into grief and despair which was only tamed by the beautiful and precious ball of sunshine our son left them behind before he went missing.

Arnold, our only grandchild was the one thing that managed to bring a smile to our faces again. We had promised their son they would take good care of his boy, and they would do just that, with all the love we could muster.

As the years passed Arnold grew into a very precocious and kind child, exactly like his father and as mature and independent like his mother. It was clear from the start that Arnold manage to inherit his parents best traits, he was kind and idealistic and always wanted to help others, the very traits that made Miles himself, and he had inherited his mother's facial and head structure as well as her intelligence and sensibility.

Arnold was the perfect grandchild as far as we were concerned, but he was no replacement of Miles and Stella, and honestly we never saw it as that. Arnold was our grandchild, the son of my Miles.

He was the one thing that reminded us how to be happy again, so much that they ache of losing Miles, while it never went away; they were able to tame it enough to get on with our lives.

However, we both knew that Arnold was just as hurt of his parents disappearance but he rarely spoke of it, we knew it hurt but we tried our best to give him a good enough childhood.

The years passed and another October came by, but this was a big one. This October 1st was exactly four days before Arnold's tenth birthday, and today they managed to find Mile''s journal.

Arnold was so captivated by the stories of his parents amazing adventures, and he finally was able to understand why Miles and Stella did what they did.

They were trying to do what they though was the right thing to do, but sometimes the right thing can be the hardest thing to do.

However, the most miraculous thing happened, Arnold discovered a copy of one of his father's maps in the journal back from his days in San Lorenzo.

It had to be a sign.

I wanted to believe there was still a chance. That this clue would bring us one step closer to finding out what happened to my boy and his wife and maybe even the key to bring them back home if…if…

Anyway, Arnold had never been this happy to find the map and I know our grandson will try his hardest to use this as a way to bring his mom and dad back.

Me and Pookie wanted to be that way too but we realized we were going to have to realistic here and explain to Arnold the possibilities. It hurt but we knew we had to address it before our grandsons hopes got too high like ours were so many years ago.

Arnold was aware but he was still hopeful that he'll finally know what happened to his missing mother and father.

He wanted to hope that they were alive and would soon come home.

We wanted to hope the exact same thing and hope that soon they would be home, safe and sane.

I wanted to hope that soon...I would see my only son again.

I know we shouldn't get our hopes too high.

But I was just…just happy there is still some hope left.

- _ **To be continued-**_

 _ **Next chapter preview**_ :

 _Everyone thought I was incapable of failing; that I was like the golden child or something, everyone thought I had no problems of my own and expected me to fix theirs, but they didn't understand at all. I know I try to be positive and help others as much as I could, I guess a part of me always thought that helping others with their problems would help me forget about my own, if only for a while. But lately it was just getting harder and harder to forget._

 _Next time on The jungle Story:_ **Prologue** _ **part 2: The contest**_

Remember to read and review and any criticism is welcome.


	2. Prologue 2: The contest

**Disclamer:** I do not own Hey Arnold or any of the characters. Hey Arnold is the property of Nickelodeon and Craig Bartlett.

 **The jungle story**

 **Chapter** **2** **:** **Prologue:** **The contest**

Most kid's worst problems were homework, avoiding bullies and trying to handle broccoli. Other kids, though rare would be discovering the other gender and trying not to be a spaz to their peers. Most normal kids had just those problems in their life. I was not one of them.

I know everyone has problems, including kids, but most of the time it feels like I was a kid facing grown up problems. It didn't help that almost everyone I knew treated me like I was an adult rather than a ten year old boy and expected me to act like one too.

Everyone thought I was incapable of failing; that I was like the golden child or something, everyone though I had no problems of my own and expected me to fix theirs, but they didn't understand at all. I know I try to be positive and help others as much as I could, I guess a part of me always though that helping other people with their problems would help me forget about my own, if only for a while. But lately it was just getting harder and harder to forget.

I just wanted to be with my mom and dad.

I was always secretly jealous when I saw other kids around their parents, boys playing ball in the park with their dads, moms hugging and healing their child when they fell down and scraped their knee and even when I saw some of my friends arguing with their parents for embarrassing in front of their friends or something. I was jealous because I really wanted to have that, more than anything in the world.

I'll never forget the day I found the flier for the junior international essay contest, with the grand prize being a week long trip to any country in the world for the winner and their entire class.

When my mind processed that, I knew what I had to do.

Ever since I found the map in my father's journal, I knew it was a sign that only I would be the one to find them or at least learn what happened to them. The map was my key to find my parents and this contest was my ticket to do so.

The contest had a 2 month deadline from that day, and I spent nearly the whole time in my room trying to come up with the perfect essay.

I knew it was a long shot, that millions of kids in the United States were entering, but I didn't care.

I was going to win, failure was not an option anymore, and it never was.

I put my very heart and soul into that essay, I just had to win, and the alternative would just be unbearable.

I just had to know what happened to my mom and dad, and at this point I would just go to San Lorenzo and search the whole jungle if it means finding them if I had to.

With only 2 weeks left until the deadline, I sent it.

The following days have been the most excruciating of my whole life, and that's something considering all the things I have been through in my short ten years.

Every second felt like an eternity and still no sign if my essay was a winner, I knew that they would send it my class as part of the education part of the whole thing, but I just couldn't focus on anything else.

Only my best friend Gerald knows what I have been up to and that's only because he caught me one day while I was going working on it, since he came to ask why I hadn't shown up to Gerald field, since I've been skipping to work on the essay.

After I explained everything to him, I made him swear not to breathe of word of it to anyone, most especially not my grandparents. I don't want to get their hopes up.

I knew the odds were against me, but that never stopped me before. I know maybe this is wishful thinking, but this has just got to work, I had almost lost all my hope that my parents would return but finding the map was almost like receiving a message from God saying: _"Don't give up; you can still do something about it"._

I spent 6 weeks working on the essay, making sure it was absolutely perfect and I am just counting down the agonizing days left until the winner result is here.

I didn't care if this was a one in a million chance.

I didn't care about the danger I'll get in if…I mean WHEN I win and finally get there to the jungle.

I didn't care if anyone though I was crazy for doing this.

I didn't care if I was getting my hopes higher than they have ever been.

All I cared that…that there was still some hope left.

- _ **To be continued-**_

 _Next time on The jungle Story: **And the winner is….**_

 _ **Next chapter preview:**_ _The bell rang signaling it's time for first period, but I barely registered it, I was just so anxious, today was the day I would find out if I won or not._

 _Mr. Simmons started class as usual but I barely paid attention, I was just waiting and praying that my fears weren't true. I just HAD to win, if that didn't happen I really don't know what I would do._

 _Time seemed to be getting slower, after what seemed to be a thousand years, I looked at the clock and realized that there was only twenty minutes left before class was over._

 _I was so scared my fears were true, I had just about to lose hope when the door suddenly opened and Principal Warts entered with a young women in toe, both having letters in each hand._

 _Could it be?..…_

 _ **Remember to read and review and any criticism is welcome.**_


	3. And the winner is

**Disclamer:** I do not own Hey Arnold or any of the characters. Hey Arnold is the property of Nickelodeon and Craig Bartlett.

 **The jungle story**

 **Chapter 3: And the winner is….**

The bell rang signaling it was time for first period, but I barely registered it, I was just so anxious, today was the day I would find out if I won or not.

Mr. Simmons started class as usual but I barely paid attention, I was just waiting and praying that my fears weren't true. I just HAD to win, if that didn't happen I really don't know what I would do.

Time seemed to be getting slower, after what seemed to be a thousand years, I looked at the clock and realized that there was only twenty minutes left before class was over.

I was so scared my fears were coming true, I had just about to lose hope when the door suddenly opened and Principal Warts entered with a young women in two, both having letters in each hand.

Could it be?..…

Mr. Simmons stopped his lecture and turned his attention to the portly principal.

"Principal Wartz, is there something wrong?"…. The kindly teacher asked to his boss

"Nothing of the sort ,... The old principal said in an " _I got a secret I just gotta share_ " tone

"Class this is Lindsay Reynolds and she is from the International young writers association, she came today because….we'll I let you tell them the good news Ma'am…...The old principal said before gesturing to the young woman.

"Thank you sir, as some of you may know, my foundation had the junior international essay contest and I am very pleased to announce that the winner of the contest who had just one a membership as well as a week long trip to the country of his choice for him and the whole class is Arnold Sho- or sorry there a little smudge there...um" Before Lindsey could make out anything, the entire class erupted into loud cheers that drowned down the young woman, but Arnold was just stunned in place.

He won...He actually won…

Everyone was congratulating him and was eager to know where they were going but Arnold payed them no mind, he just couldn't believe that after all this time, he finally has the means to discover what happened to his parents.

Nothing could spoil this wonderful moment…..

"Hey Football Head, wake up"….An impatient and unfortunately not unfamiliar voice yelled from behind him

Except that….

Arnold turned in annoyance to the one and only Helga G. Pataki, who was staring at him with impatience

"What is it, Helga?" Arnold asked in a neutral voice, having no desire to put up with her right now.

"Sorry to interrupt your little daydream there bucko but these chuckle heads have been trying to wake you up for what…. five minutes now!" Helga said sarcastically, gesturing to their classmates all around them, who were with excited looks on their faces, confirming what Helga said to be true.

"Oh, sorry guys, I guess I'm just so happy I won" Arnold try to brush off in a casual voice, but he knew it was the biggest understatement in the world.

Almost instantly they all started asking questions about the contest and where we were all going. Arnold tried his hardest to answer as truthfully as possible without mention anything about his hidden agenda for the trip, the less anyone knew about it the better.

He really couldn't wait to see the looks on his grandparents face when he tells them about the trip, but he had to keep it on the down low, as much as he hated keeping secrets from them, he knew he had to.

If they found out what he was planning, regardless of what they wouldn't let him go out of fear of losing someone else they loved dearly.

Arnold knew that this wasn't over, it was only just beginning.

He knew what dangers were up ahead but he didn't care, the moment they get off the plane, the first thing he was going to do was break out the map and search for his parents.

He realize the danger up ahead, but he had faced danger before and manage to survive, and while this was unlike anything he ever faced before, he was going to do it.

One thing for sure, there was no turning back now…

- _ **To be continued-**_

 _N_ _ext time on the Jungle story:_ _ **To San Lorenzo we go**_

 _ **AN:**_ _I would like to apologize but there will be no more previous from here on out. I'm sorry but I just can't give anymore right now. But I hope this chapter makes up for it._

 _Till next time my young readers :)_


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